Summer Vacation: Day 3

Day 3 was spent mainly outside in the muggy but pleasantly sunny and warm northeastern summer. Helios and Hesperos probably saw more sun during this one trip than they have their entire time living in the Pacific Northwest which was good for them, but left the adults scrambling for sunscreen to protect the kids' fair-skinned pudginess.

Daddy Jane brought out the bubble kit and made beautifully large bubbles that Helios then ran around and popped. Alas, when Helios tried to make his own bubbles, the soap blended in with little boy spittle as he couldn't quite get down how to blow air out while keeping the gooey stuff in. Little unsuccesses at bubble creating did not dampen his enthusiasm though as he ran around demanding, "more bubbles, more bubbles, MORE ROUND BUBBLES!" Daddy Jane laughed with Helios until the time a minor catastrophe threatened when Grandpa Mel called Daddy Jane "Granny." With the speed of Hesperos when he tries to sneak away one of Helios' toys, Daddy Jane pertly replied that "old ladies are called Granny. I am Daddy Jane." Grandpa Mel wisely refrained from further name-calling for a while.

Meanwhile, Hesperos hung out and watched the excitement from his perch on Grandpa Mel's hip, peering thoughtfully at what his big brother was doing. Hesperos is a pretty mellow little guy who, in his laid back fashion, doesn't see what all the fuss is about. It's not that he doesn't care; it's just that everything makes this boy happy, including kisses from Grandpa Mel with his ticklish mustache.

Later on that evening, the adoration continued when Uncle Scooter and his girlfriend Mavis showed up to play with the boys for a while. Helios took advantage of Mavis' friendliness by cornering her on the couch and making her read book after book to him. By turns cute, coy, and demanding, Helios managed to get Mavis to read no fewer than five Dr. Seuss books, including the tongue-twisting "Fox in Socks" and "Oh! Say Can You Say!" Every time Mavis dared to pause in her oration, Helios would turn and say, "read more books, please!" Politely, Mavis acquiesced although her patience might've started to wear thin (understandably) when at the end Helios was reading along with her, saying, "No, read it THIS way!"

On the other side of the room, Uncle Scooter played with Hesperos, sportingly tolerant of baby drool, tickling him until he chortled like a happy turtle. Meanwhile, Mommy and Daddy enjoyed one of the rare luxuries afforded to all young parents: Not having to watch their children for a bit while they're being played with by relatives they see less often.